Apparatus for treating car-cushions or the like.



W. F. SERVICE. APPARATUS FOR TREATING CAR CUSHIONS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-6, 1910- RENEWED DEC- 15, 19

Patented June 15, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- w. F. SERVICE. APPARATUS FOR TREATING CAR CUSHIONS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJJU I910- RENEWED DEC. I5| I914.

Patented June 15, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ra n snares Parana orrrcn.

WILLIAM F. SERVICE, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW' JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 IMPERIAL CAR CLEANER COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING CAR-CUSHIONS OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Application filed August 6, 1910, Serial No. 575,881. Renewed December 15, 1914. Serial No. 877,449.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. SERVICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Car-Cushions or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for cleansing and renovating the cushions of railway cars or the like, the object of the in vention being the provision of an eflicient apparatus capable of handling the cushions in a regular and continuous manner, and applying thereto the several operations of beating, renovating, re-dyeing, washing, etc. At the same time, the use of the apparatus presents certain advantages over the same or a slmilar series of operations performed by hand or with the aid of mechanical appliances, notably in that there is less liability of injury to the springs or hair-filling of the cushions, and opportunity is afforded of handling the dyeing-and other liquids at a boiling temperature, whereby the dye sets more quickly and is more permanent. Furthermore in the use of the machine there is far less liability of accidental injury to the fabric of the cushions, and these unpleasant features of the usual hand treatment are completely obviated.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cushions or other articles to be treated are caused to operate the valves controlling the various cleansing agents, airblasts, dye, water, etc., whereby these are permitted to flow only during such time as a cushion is in position to receive them.

A form of apparatus embodying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a vertical, longitudinal view of a preferred form of apparatus, partly in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, certain parts being removed for clearness of illustration; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of one form of blast nozzle; Fig. 4: is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred form of beating strap; Fig. 5 is a partial elevation, partly broken away, of a preferred means for delivering a liquid cleans 7 is a detail, upon a somewhat enlarged Fig.

scale, showing a blast nozzle and the controlling device therefor.

e apparatus illustrated comprises essentially a progressively moving bed or con veyer for the cushions, adapted to carry them into position to be submitted successively and in proper order to the several necessary operations constituting the cleansing and renovating process.

Referring to the drawings 1, 1 represents a chain conveyor dicated by the arrows, by power transmitted with appropriate reduction through pulleys 2, 3, 4. Power is derived from a driven shaft 5 carrying pulleys 6, 7 connected by appropriate belting, as indicated by dotted lines, with the conveyer and beating and brushing devices. The cushions are placed upon the conveyor. and are first subjected to a thorough beating'by means of flexible straps, bands or equivalent devices 8 mounted on a revoluble drum 9 driven as indicated from the power-shaft 5. This beater is inclosed in a hood 10 which communicates through a flue 11 with a power-actuated suction-fan 12. The lower portion of the hood 10 is provided with flexible aprons 13 which rest upon the top of the cushion and confine the dust. The dust loosened and in part removed by the action of the heaters is completely eliminated by means of an air-blast directed against the top and sides of the cushions by appropriate nozzles illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. This pneumatic system comprises an ainpipe 14, connected to a transverse pipe 15 upon which are mounted a series of rcarwardly directed flattened nozzles or spreaders 16, so disposed that an air-blast is directed against the front of an approaching cushion, and against the upper surface of the cushion as it passes beneath the nozzles. In order to subject the sides of the cushions to the action of the air-blast, and also to avoid unnecessary expenditure of air, I provide in the air-line 14 a cook 17 for controlling the blast. This cock is opened by the pressure of the advancing cushion upon oppositely placed blast-nozzles 19 carried by vent levers 18. The levers 18 are composed of piping receiving air from the main pipe 14 through branches 20, and delivering it to the nozzles 19, of which the orifices 21 are rearwardly directed, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The nozzles 19 lie normally in the path of the cushion, being held in this position by springs 22, and in this position the air cock 17 is closed, being opened by the movement of the cushion and its outward pressure upon the lateral blastnozzles 19 as above explained. The transverse air-pipe 15 carrying the nozzles 16 may be arranged to swing on its aXis, the nozzles normally depending vertically but adapted to be lifted to the position shown by the rotation of the vertical arm of the lever 18, this arm being connected for the purpose by a. link 23 with lugs 24, 25, carried respectively by the lever arm 18 and the pipe 15. These parts are separately illustrated on a slightly larger scale in Fig. 7. The effect of this arrangement is to direct the blast downwardly at the front and rear sides of the cushion, thus cleansing them more effectively. The boaters or straps 8 may be of leather or other suitable material, and are preferably stiffened and rendered resilient by overlying strips 26 (Fig.

.4) of spring steel. The cushion is next thoroughly wet down with a suitable renovating liquid or solution. and thoroughly scrubbed while still wet. Similar means are preferably used for applying and spreading the renovating liquor, dye, water, etc., such means comprising in each case a transverse pipe perforated along its lower side and a swinging apron or spreader for leading the liquid to the upper surface of the cushion. This construction is illustrated on a larger scale in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein 27 represents the perforated pipe, and 28 the distributing apron capable of swinging freely thereon, being suspended by the loops 29. The renovating liquor is in the construction illustrated contained in a tank 30 provided with a heating coil 31, and is conveyed therefrom by pump 32 through pipe 33 to the perforated section 27, flowing over the cushion, and the excess being collected in tank 341. The lateral scrapers 35 carried by bent lever arms 36 are pressed outwardly by the advancing cushion, thereby opening the cook 37 in the pipe 33. This cock is closed, and the scrapers returned to their normal position, after the passage of each cushion, by springs 38. In addition to controlling the supply of liquid, the lateral scrapers-35 also wipe the sides of the cushion and distribute the liquid over it. At the same time the surface of the cushion is vigorously scrubbed by a rotary brush 39, which operates at high speed beneath a hood 40 having bottom aprons 41. deflector 42 is arranged within the hood 4-0 to collect and return the sludge to the tank 34-, whence the clear liquid may be decanted to the tank 30. The cush-.

ion is next washed with water directed thereon through a. pipe 4.3, and preferably heated by injection of steam through pipe 4-4. The distributing and controlling system for this water may be precisely as described for the renovating liquid, being indicated by the numerals 27, 2S and 35. The cushion next encounters another air-blast directed thereon through a transverse series of depending nozzles l5 (Fig. 1) normally closed but adapted to be opened and forwardly directed by the cushion. This air-blast removes all excess of water and prepares the cushion for reception of the dye-liquid, contained in tank 46, heated by coil 4:7, conveyed by a suitable pump, not shown because behind pump 32, through pipe 48, and discharged and controlled by mechanism 27*, 28 and 35", precisely similar to that above described. The excess dye is collected in go tank 49. After a suilicient interval to permit the dye to set the cushion is given a final thorough washing with cold water, introduced through a perforated pipe 27, distributed by a spreader 28 and controlled 35 and spread by movable lateral scrapers 35, all of these elements similar in construction to those before described. The final washing cools the cushion and leaves it in condition for handling. 7

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular details of construction and mechanism above described for the sake of clearness, but may be modified in desired respects without departure 5 from my invention. Obviously, the. order and number of applications ofthe cleansing and renovating agents including liquid and air may be varied as desired.- The cushion itself may act as the means for opening the various valves referred to, or these valves may be operated by other actuating mechanism.

I claim: 7

1. An apparatus for treating car cushions comprising a conveyer arranged to move the cushions in a rectilinear path through the said apparatus, a plurality of means for delivering cleaning or renovating agents to the cushions, means adapted to be positively acted upon for throwing each of the said delivering means successively into action, and automatic means for throwing each of the said delivering means successively out of action.

2., An apparatus for treating car cushions comprising a conveyer arranged to move the cushion, mechanically and continuously actuated beating and brushing devices, and a plurality of temporarily and successively m actuated means for delivering a cleaning or renovating agent to the cushions.

. 3. Anppparatus for treating car cushions comprising a conveyer for the cushion, mechanically and continuously actuated beating and brushing devices, a plurality of temporarily and successively actuated means for delivering a cleaning or renovating agent to the cushions, means adapted to be positively acted upon by the advancing movement of a 13 cushion for throwing the said delivering means into action, and automatic means for throwing the said delivering means out of action.

4. An apparatus for treating car'cush'ions comprising a conveyer for the cushions, a plurality of means for delivering cleaning or renovating agents to the cushions, mechanical means adapted to be operated by the front side of a cushion for throwing the said delivering means successively into action, and automatic'means adapted to be controlled by the rear side of a cushion for throwing the said delivering means successively out of action; I

5. An apparatus for treatin'g'car cushions comprising a conveyer for the cushions, me-

chanically" and continuously actuated beating and brushing devices, a plurality-of means for delivering cleaning or renovating agents to the cushions, 'mechanical" means adapted to be operated by the front sideof:

a'cushion for throwing the said delivering means successively into action, and automatic means adapted to be controlled by the rear side of a cushion for throwing the said delivering means out of action.

6. In apparatus for. treating car'cu'shions or the like, a moving conveyer for the cushions,a receptacle for a cleansing or renovating agent, a conduit extending from said receptacle into position for delivering the agent uponthe cushions, and spreading devices having actuating means adapted to be actuated by the movemen-tof the cushions for spreading the cleansing or renovating agent thereon. lu-testimony whereof, I afiix my signa- "ture in presence .aof two witnesses.

I j a, 1 f WILLIAM SERVICE.

Witnesses:

v KANDREW Ji- MELLOR. 

